We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Independent report

Health and social care - staff experience: report 2021

Published
7 February 2022
Directorate
Health Workforce Directorate
Part of
Health and social care
ISBN
9781802016222

Independent report by Webropol providing detailed information and analysis of staff experience in health and social care across Scotland during 2021.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Overall Experience and Recommendation

Overall Experience

The overall experience question has dropped back by 0.1 points from 2019 and is now at the same level as seen in 2018. The distribution of responses is quite similar to previous years, with a small increase in those rating 3 or less and a commensurate decrease in the percentage score 6 or 7. It is notable that the proportion rating their overall experience 8, 9 or 10 has remained unchanged from 2019 (41% of staff taking part in iMatter 2021).

Overall experience rating
Ratings of overall experience from 0(very poor) to 10(very good) showing 2018, 2019 and 2021; A score of 0 was given by 1% of respondents in 2018 and 2019 and 2% of respondents in 2021; A score of 1 was given by 1% of respondents in 2018, 2019 and 2021; a score of 2 was given by 2% in 2018 and 2021, 1% in 2019: a score of 3 was given by 4% in 2018 and 2021, and 3% in 2019; a score of 4 was given by 5% in 2018, 2019 and 2021; a score of 5 was given by 12% in 2018 and 13% in 2019 and 2021; a score of 6 was given by 13% in 2018 and 2019 and 12% in 2021; a score of 7 was given by 22% in 2018, 23% in 2019 and 21% in 2021; a score of 8 was given by 20% in 2018 and 19% in 2019 and 2021; a score of 9 was given by 10% in 2018, 11% in 2019 and 2021; and a score of 10 was given by 10% in 2018 and 11% in 2019 and 2021. The mean scores for 2018 and 2021 were 6.8, but 6.9 in 2019

Across the Boards receiving a report, the overall experience mean score ranges from 8.1 for NHS Education for Scotland to 5.9 for Scottish Ambulance Service. As has been seen with the EEI score, although the overall movement is just 0.1, there are much greater movements in individual Board scores.

Overall Experience scores have increased in 2021 for three national support Boards:

  • Healthcare Improvement Scotland (+0.5 to 7.6)
  • NHS Education for Scotland (+0.4 points to 8.1)
  • NHS National Service Scotland (+0.3 points to 7.4)

In contrast, four patient-facing Boards have Overall Experience 0.5 or more below their 2019 scores:

  • Golden Jubilee Foundation (-0.9 to 6.5)
  • NHS Orkney (-0.7 to 6.2)
  • The State Hospital (-0.5 to 6.4)
  • NHS 24 (-0.5 to 6.7)
Overall experience result by Board and movement from 2019
Overall experience results for each Board ranked from best to worst, with a secondary bar showing the change from 2019 results. NHS Education for Scotland rated 8.1, up 0.4 from 2019; Healthcare Improvement Scotland rated 7.6, up 0.5 from 2019; National Services Scotland scored 7.4 up 0.3 from 2019; NHS Shetland scored 7.2 equal with 2019; Public Health Scotland scored 7.0 New board since 2019; NHS Grampian scored 7.0 down 0.1 since 2019; NHS Western Isles scored 6.9 No report in 2019; NHS Lanarkshire scored 6.9, down 0.2 from 2019; NHS Ayrshire & Arran scored 6.9 equal to 2019; NHS Lothian scored 6.8, down 0.2 on 2019; NHS Fife scored 6.8, down 0.1 from 2019; Overall Health and Social Care result is 6.8, down 0.1 on 2019; NHS Tayside scored 6.7, no report in 2019; NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde scored 6.7 with no report in 2019; NHS 24 scored 6.7 down 0.5 on 2019; NHS Forth Valley scored 6.6 down 0.2 on 2019; NHS Highland scored 6.6 down 0.1 on 2019; NHS Borders scored 6.5 no report received in 2019; NHS Dumfries & Galloway scored 6.5 down 0.3 on 2019; Golden Jubilee Scored 6.5 down 0.9 from 2019; The State Hospital scored 6.4, down 0.5 from 2019; NHS Orkney scored 6.2, down 0.7 from 2019; Scottish Ambulance Service scored 5.9 with no report in 2019

Staff Grouping

Overall Experience is slightly higher among Local Authority staff with a mean score of 6.9 compared to 6.8 for NHSScotland staff.

Staff grouping overall experience
Difference between overall experience scores for Local Authority versus NHS Scotland. Scores of 0-4 were given by 12% of Local Authority staff and 14% of NHS Scotland staff; Scores of 5 or 6 were given by 23% of local authority staff and 25% of NHS Scotland staff; scores of 7 or 8 were given by 41% of Local authority staff and 40% of NHS Scotland staff; scores of 9 or 10 were given by 23% of local authority staff and 21% of NHS Scotland staff

The table following shows the mean scores for each of the staff groupings within Local Authority and NHSScotland.

Within NHSScotland, Senior Managers score highest, followed by Personal and Social Care staff. Among Local Authority staff, those working in Business Services score highest and those in Older People Services score lowest.

NHSScotland employees
Administrative Services 7.2
Allied Health Profession 6.8
Ambulance Services 5.8
Health Science Services 6.8
Medical and Dental 6.6
Medical and Dental Support 6.9
Nursing and Midwifery 6.4
Other Therapeutic 7.0
Personal and Social Care 7.3
Senior Managers 7.4
Support Services 7.0
Local Authority employees
Adult Services 6.9
Business Services 7.4
Children's Services 7.1
Criminal Justice 7.1
Older People Services 6.8
Senior Managers 7.3
Strategic Development 7.3

Recommendation

Within the iMatter questionnaire there are two statements that relate to recommendation:

  • I would recommend my organisation as a good place to work
  • I would recommend my team as a good one to be a part of
Recommendation 2017 2018 2019 2021 Movement 2021 – 2019
I would recommend my organisation as a good place to work 74 74 74 73 -1
I would recommend my team as a good one to be a part of 82 83 83 83 0

Recommendation of the organisation has declined 1 point from 2019 to 73. It is noted that in the 2020 Everyone Matters Pulse Survey the score was also 73.

The distribution of responses shows that 57% of staff 'agree strongly' or 'agree' that they would recommend their organisation, 25% 'slightly agree', 8% 'disagree' and 11% 'disagree strongly'. A higher percentage (76%) would recommend their team.

I would recommend my organisation as a good place to work is rated so that 57% of respondents rate it between 67 and 100 (strive & celebrate); 25% rate it between 51 and 66 (monitor to further improve); 8% rate it between 34 and 50 (Monitor to improve); and 10% rate it 0-33 (Focus to improve) I would recommend my team as a good one to be a part of is rated by 76% of respondents as between 67-100(strive & Celebrate); 14% rate it as 51-66 (Monitor to further improve); 5% rate it as 34-50 (Monitor to Improve) and 5% rate it as 0-33 (focus to improve)

Patient Services

Illustrating the link between iMatter and patient care the survey asks staff to say whether they 'would be happy for a friend or relative to access services within my organisation'. This measure remained constant from 2017 to 2019 at a score of 78 and has declined by 1 point in 2021 to 77.

Patient Services 2017 2018 2019 2021 Movement 2021 – 2019
I would be happy for a friend or relative to access services within my organisation 78 78 78 77 -1

65% of staff would agree that they would be happy for a friend or relative to access services in their organisation, 22% 'slightly agree', 6% 'disagree' and 7% 'disagree strongly'.

Percentage of staff giving scores within 4 different levels. 65% of staff scored this question 67-100 (Strive and celebrate); 22% rate it as 51-66 (Monitor to further improve); 6% rate it as 34-50 (Monitor to Improve) and 7% rate it as 0-33 (focus to improve)

Summary

The EEI score of 75 is just one point lower than in 2019, despite the turmoil of the last two years. There is quite high consistency across the Geographic Boards, with the majority scoring between 72 and 76. Most Geographic Boards have seen their EEI score decline by 1 or 2 points from 2019. Generally, it is the National Support Boards that have the highest EEI scores and have seen improvement from 2019.

The distribution of scores across Teams, illustrates that there are inconsistencies across the organisation as while 73% of teams score 67 or above, there are a small number (2%) that score 33 or less.

The Overall Experience score of 6.8 is slightly below the 2019 score of 6.9. This suggests that that staff working experience has remain almost unchanged through the COVID-19 pandemic so far. Whilst 41% of staff score 8, 9 or 10, it is noted that almost 1 in 10 staff score their overall experience 4 or less. Overall Experience scores vary by staff grouping, suggesting considerable differences in staff experience depending on their role within the organisation.

The score for staff recommending their team is one of the highest in the whole survey (83) and is unchanged from 2019. Recommendation of the wider organisation is lower (73) and has declined 1 point from 2019.

Contact

Email: Victoria.freeland@gov.scot

Back to top